Need your help today for my sister. She is 19 weeks pregnant mA but is very sick from a virus that has her chest completely congested. She is coughing non-stop and has been for almost a week. She has been to the doctor but despite her completely exhausted condition they will not prescribe anything to help suppress the cough or clear the congestion.
As of yesterday she has now developed an ear infection, pink eye in both eyes and the coughing is now incessant to the point that she cannot sleep. The lack of rest is further complicating matters.
Doctor has prescribed an antibiotic for the ear infection, polysporin eye/ear drops for the eyes as she cannot have garamycin and regular strength tylenol for the fever. But yet again nothing for the most annoying symptom of non-stop coughing.
We have tried a number of desi remedies and none of them are really helping anymore.
You can try "cupping" - make your hand into a bowl shape and gently pound on her back. Start near the bottom of the ribcage and move your way up on one side and then the other. This is something my sister uses in Peds ICU for congested kids, it loosens up the gunk so that it can be coughed out.
Maybe some vapo-rub? Also, I had a really bad cough last winter and used those vapor shower tabs and they were wonderful. You put the tab in the bottom of the shower and run the water almost hot and it makes the best vapor steam.
thanks mama......I kept her at my place last night so that I can make sure she gets the rest she needs. (She has a three year old that is mA very active too and running after/taking care of him has not been helping her.)
She has tried sleeping sitting up and it works for a while then the dryness in her throat makes her cough again. I put the humidifier in her room but eventually the cold mist made her chest feel tight so we turned it off.
She took a hot shower last night and I think that helped her to sleep for about twenty minutes. I will look for the shower tabs today on my way home from work.
***She is 19 weeks pregnant ! I don't see why the doctor is refusing to prescribe her a cough syrup especially if she has such a bad cough.
Yes All medicines should be taken with caution but , she is past her first trimester and the stage of organogenesis ( baby being formed) so its pretty safe to take a cough syrup.
If she has a productive cough and is bringing up yellow or green sputum and is running fever she might need antibiotics orally too.
r u sure because my doctor said tylenol is completely safe during pregnancies... anyways, for the cough i heard honey with black pepper is every effective...
sheyn......I thought it should be okay but most cough medications state that they should be taken only on consult with physician and if they are not letting her take it then she is scared to. I should do some more research myself.......
she is taking tylenol for the low grade fever and it has helped but, obviously, it cannot do anything for the congestion and cough.
I have been giving her the honey, black pepper and ginger extract that we always use as a cough suppressant and expectorant. It has helped to loosen the mucous but coughing it up has become extremely painful as her throat is dry and raw and the muscles on her ribs and stomach are aching.
***Muzna all medicines will always carry a caution with pregnancy label for obvious reasons. However If the cough is bad , I've always prescribed a cough syrup for about 5 days and even antibiotics if need be. Treating the infection outweighs the risks of having it fester and cause more harm.
wow that sounds awful Muzna. Here is a link that goes over medications and which ones are safe during pregnancy. Apparently theres one - Dextromethrophan (Robitussin DM sugar free) which is sold over the counter.
I had the same symptoms this year. My cough persisted for over a month and even after cough medicines, cough drops, numerous trip to the docs and a course of antibiotics - the dry cough just wouldn't quit.
As you said the worse part was the restlessness because lack of sleep.
Some of the natural remedies that really help
Josanda in hot water (I was skeptical too until it actually worked)
Honey and Lemon in hot water
Sauf
Avoid milk and dairy products
Saline in the nose (to help with post nasal drip at night)
